Cleveland, Ohio – Cleveland has joined the ranks of cities that could soon get their own unionized Starbucks!

Starbucks workers at Cleveland's 6th Street location are joining colleagues in Buffalo, New York; Mesa, Arizona; Boston, Massachusetts; Seattle, Washington; Knoxville, Tennessee; Chicago, Illinois; and Broomfield, Colorado, in filing for a union election.

Last December, the Elmwood store in Buffalo became the first unionized Starbucks in the country, sparking a wave of labor activity across many of the company's other US locations.

"We are organizing a union at our store because we believe it is the most meaningful and effective way to ensure our voices are heard and to use those voices to contribute to our partnership with the company," the Cleveland organizing committee wrote in a letter to CEO Kevin Johnson.

They then proceeded to outline some of their primary concerns since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic: "Even while working in the midst of an ongoing health crisis, we do not feel we have been adequately cared for in terms of consistent guidelines or effective safety measures."

"Additionally, we believe that new partners are rushed through the training process instead of being given a careful, thorough introduction to the expansive environment of Starbucks," they continued.

"These experiences have often been leading to burnout, disillusionment, and a feeling that rather than being considered 'partners', we are simply cogs in a machine."

They called on Johnson to sign the Fair Election Principles for a union vote. Starbucks has developed a reputation for relentless union-busting in the recent organizing wave.

"Through this union, we are committing to goals of improving our own work lives, establishing equity and equality within our store and the company, and doing our part to move the company forward," they concluded.